The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1887-12-28
Animals and Their Friends.

That the lower animals have their
special friends, or show preferences to
their companions, no observer can
doubt. IN some cases the friendship
is between two of the same tribe; again
we find what are generally considered
the most antagonistic forms united in
bonds of good-fellowship, and we see
acts of devotion and self-sacrifice that
are almost identical with those that
character re the friendship of human
beings. 1t is needless to say that their
impulses are much the same in all:
some processing an interest that is
actuated entirely by greed, or for per-
sonal ends; while in others it is un-
selfish.
Any one who has visited the herd Of
elephants owned by Mr.. Barnum must
have noticed tho large dog that stood
by the side of one of the huge pachy-
derms. To the visitor this might have
seemed accidental; but the dog was al
ways at its post by this particular
animal. II the dog wandered of, the
elephant showed its distress imme-
diately by attempting to follow; strain
ing ut the chain confined to its ponder
Gus feet, or throwing aloft its trunk
and uttering the shrill whistle indica-
tive of alarm, and only resuming the
monotonous swing of the head when
its companion returned. The elephant
was often observed caressing the dog,
and though the latter always slept in
the straw, sometimes beneath its huge
friend, it was never stepped upon nor
crushed. When the elephant was led
out to go through his task in the ring,
the dog would begin to bark and en-
deavor to Join the throng of perform
ers; SO that it was perfectly evident
that the friendship was mutual.
In many of the works of old writer's
are found instances of such attachments
between man and beast. Elan records
friendship between q little girl who
sold flowers in the streets of Antioch
and an elephant whom she was in the
habit of feeling One of the elephants
In the Barnum herd exhibited great
interest in little daughter of one of
the attendants, holding her upon his
trunk, and in many ways showing his
affection.
In India the elephants are so trusted
that they are sometimes employed as
nurses, and have been seen tending
their charges, lifting them gently back
when they were supposed to stray
away. The natives state that these
great animals have been known to die
of a broken heart when deprived of
certain keeper, and Lieutenant Shipp,
an English officer of extensive ex peri
ence in the East, gives a minute ac-
count of an elephant that died in what
was considered fit of remorse after
having killed its keeper.
While attachment between animals
is everywhere to be seen, it is not often
that we witness such acts of disinter-
ested devotion as we expect among
human beings Mother-birds protect
their young in the face of every dan
ger; bat 1t must be confessed that
few observers have seen animals go to
the rescue of others without maternal
or paternal incentive; bat such cases
are not wanting.
Some years ago q Scotch naturalist
wishing to obtain gull, fired at
flock, breaking the wing of one, which
came futtering down, falling into the
ocean. At first the flock were demon
dHiHSu, @ut HSW WAuiy aDouJ, utteTinB
harsh cries, but moment later they
seemed to be recalled to sense of
duty by the struggles of their wound
ed eomrade, and two birds darted
down, seized it by the tips of its wings,
then rose and bore it away in triumph;
for, as may be supposed, the natural
ist did not fire, but permitted the res
cue. Here was friendship indeed;
heroism, in fact. as the other birds
alarmed by the fire faced the same
danger. Vide AWake.